IsItAGoodCar

Common Problems with the
2016–2021 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5)

We've identified 3 known issues that can affect the 2016–2021 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5). None are considered critical, but they're worth knowing about before you buy.

3
Known Issues
0
Serious
2
Moderate
1
Minor

The 2016–2021 period has 1 more issue than the Audi A5 Mk2 (F5) average across all year periods.

All Known Issues

Water Pump / Thermostat Housing Leak

ModerateCooling System

Like the B9 A4, the A5 uses plastic cooling components that can seep or fail, causing repeated low-coolant warnings without an obvious puddle.

Most affected: 2.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDI, 3.0 TDI, S5

Estimated cost: £350–£750Affects: 2016–2024Often appears around: 35k-90k miles

Typical symptoms

  • •Low coolant warning
  • •Pink residue at the front of the engine
  • •Sweet smell after shutdown

What to inspect before you buy

  • ✓Inspect coolant level from cold and look around the pump and housing for staining
  • ✓Check whether the car needs repeated top-ups
  • ✓Look for specialist or dealer invoices rather than generic coolant additions

NOx Sensor / AdBlue Faults

ModerateExhaust & Emissions

Diesel SCR hardware can trigger AdBlue countdowns, engine-management lights, and expensive sensor or injector replacement once the car is out of warranty.

Most affected: 2.0 TDI, 3.0 TDI

Estimated cost: £250–£1,200Affects: 2016–2024Often appears around: 40k-100k miles

Typical symptoms

  • •AdBlue warning or no-start countdown
  • •Engine light with emissions faults
  • •Repeated warnings soon after topping up AdBlue

What to inspect before you buy

  • ✓Scan the car for stored NOx and SCR faults
  • ✓Ask for evidence of recent sensor, injector, or software work
  • ✓Avoid diesel cars used only for short commutes if the emissions history is patchy

MMI / Virtual Cockpit Glitches

MinorElectrics & Electronics

Screen freezes, camera dropouts, and Bluetooth instability are common enough on early cars to be worth a deliberate test during inspection.

Most affected: All F5 models with MMI/Virtual Cockpit

Estimated cost: £0–£800Affects: 2016–2021Often appears around: Usually age or software related rather than mileage-specific

Typical symptoms

  • •Rebooting or blank centre screen
  • •Camera unavailable message
  • •Phone pairing or audio dropping out

What to inspect before you buy

  • ✓Use navigation, media, phone, and camera functions together
  • ✓Check software update history
  • ✓Verify that the car remembers paired devices and does not reboot during the drive

Buying Tips for the 2016 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5)

  • ✓Check for water-pump or thermostat-housing replacement history because slow coolant loss is one of the common real-world issues
  • ✓Diesel cars need clean AdBlue and NOx-sensor history - repeated countdown warnings can be expensive outside warranty
  • ✓Test the MMI, Virtual Cockpit, reversing camera, and smartphone connectivity for a full drive, not just during startup
  • ✓Sportback buyers should check the powered tailgate and boot seals for smooth operation and dryness
2022–2024 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5)

Browse 2016–2021 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5) in our Directory

View MOT history, registration data, and reliability scores for 2016–2021 Audi A5 Mk2 (F5) vehicles.

View 2016–2021 Directory

Other Audi A5 Mk2 (F5) Year Periods

2016–20212022–2024

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